Monthly Archives: April 2013

Well, the entry was started April 25, then life interfered. Admittedly it was late in the day. Life continued to interfere. In addition to the lady with lunch there was also the food truck due. A decided fungus flare-up crept into the picture. Now, things were bad enough that there even came an uncertainty about whether the food truck was due this week. The order was made out “just in case.” It was a good thing it was done, too, as he did indeed come. The biggest problem came with the computer going out — no connection all day. Even the weather gadget jammed on their basic page. So much for some plans.

April 27, 2013.

The computer continues to malfunction. Some finagling may be needed to get this online. The flare-up continues to flare, but seems to have settled a little. However, things have been upset enough that one of the two daily vitamin pills was forgotten until evening. It’s usually taken with lunch. The scooter started looking low on energy. It could probably last with careful use until tomorrow evening, but that would be pushing things a lot. So, right now the scooter is also set up for re-charge. That seems like it’s happening twice a week now, and that’s not good. Thoughts go to getting another, but the greater need is computer.

April 28, 2013 … (Delayed)

Some of the day, of course, was spent trying to get internet connection. A rare split second of it apparently came through as the weather gadget did connect long enough to pick up a weather forecast for their home connection of New York City, but there was not enough for anything until evening. The brightest part of the day was that there was scooter power. Friend stopped by as usual about lunch time and got a long list of stuff to get, which was, as usual, kindly done. That is the business of an errands lady, which kind of person doesn’t exist within reach anymore. At least the day ended on the happy note.

April 29, 2013.

Another week ends. As can be assessed from the “Delayed” noting and some of the content above, there almost was nothing put together for posting. In total, nothing much has improved. The infection seems worse — variations in the weather don’t help as that takes constant attention to the the air conditioning and heating system which usually doesn’t get adjusted soon enough. As usual, nothing much of any value got done. On the bright side (there has to be a bright side, it just takes some thought), there’s food in the place, a roof overhead, a few dollars in the bank and a lot of people out there who are in worse shape.

The apartment management sent a notice that the refrigerator, which worked okay, was to be replaced today and everything had to be removed from the one in place. Right? And, there was a race to the office to see if the replacing could be done amid the housekeeping of the day. The homemaker aide didn’t show, which led to another race around the place with a hope of finding a more able-bodied resident who would do it for a small gift like five dollars. Mission accomplished by evening, but the extra running downstairs used up enough scooter power that the scooter had to be re-charged.

April 19, 2013 … (Delayed).

A powerful week it has been. In addition to the upsetting matter of changing the refrigerator and the additional scooter re-charge (and the national news from Boston), the top air bed collapsed and had to be replaced, the three-way light bulb went out and much later the bulb in the smaller lamp used for the plants, most of the trash of course is still in the place, and the prescription for pills (because the infection situation got worse) got confused by the lady delivering same. It is now Saturday night. Friend came by and took care of the lights and got some groceries. The pills are being taken according to a guess.

April 21, 2013.

It’s Sunday night and it continues to be an eventful time. What was carried in today was some more “new,” a lamp and a table. About three years ago there were two large table lamps (identical) to be set on the two sides of something like a sofa. One got knocked over and it broke. The place where it was has been dark ever since. The plant gifts have been growing and had outgrown their “stand” (a large tub). Both the lamp and the table have been mentioned in case anyone had time to go get same. Someone finally did, unexpectedly, as she was shopping in the vicinity of said items. They were dropped off this evening.

April 22, 2013.

A note came up on the computer screen speaking of a Trojan Horse, not the historic kind. A scan would seem to be the thing to do. One was started in the new security system installed a couple of days ago (highly ranked company). Six hours later the scan was still operating. Now, along with the scooter that again needed re-charge (there was little use of what was put in a few days ago), the swollen leg, etc., the common effort (surely it is) to follow Boston Marathon business (it ain’t all settled yet) and “smaller” things like lunch being late as the lady bringing it had to go to the doctor, it was anything but a manageable day.

The night falls quickly when you are busy. Yesterday’s gone again, vanished in the concern about running the air conditioner already (yes, both yesterday and today and the place is only tolerable). Housekeeping assistance came. She is good in many ways, but not too much so in some. Surprisingly, friend neither showed up nor sent a message about not coming. One possibility, hospital, but one is staying at the office. He would be hard to replace. Fortunately for the moment there is no real shortage of anything, and the most immediate concerns are the doctoring nurse coming tomorrow and the food truck coming Friday.

April 13, 2013.

It’s been absolutely horrible for two days. Almost exactly forty-eight hours ago the doctoring nurse came. All seemed going so well she said there was no need to come back for a month. The only instructions were to keep the swollen foot elevated to help with the swelling. By afternoon there was a try, and almost immediately deterioration began. Day and night, given maybe an hour, some disturbance — terrible itching, hunger, coughing, pain — demanded attention. Yesterday morning even the pill was forgotten and actually getting up was near noon. Note and money left for the food truck driver yesterday worked well.

April 14, 2013.

The “horrible” continued through another day. As calculated out, the regular friend of Sunday and Wednesday visits was indeed hospitalized as of Wednesday for an operation. It had to do with his heart condition; the details weren’t grasped too well. He said he was home yesterday, which seems terribly soon. A lot depended on him and is now out of the question regardless of anything said. If he wanted to get one small item, it was mentioned. Although expected back with it, he didn’t come back. So, it’s back to floundering around looking for help. Maybe the new little plant will get to the lady who helps with the plants.

April 15, 2013.

There were a couple of big surprises today. The best was a supper well before midnight. The air bed had to be replaced. The building management sent a notice that the refrigerator was to be replaced on Wednesday. There wasn’t a need nor a request for a new one. Everything has to be emptied out of the one in place and put in the new one. They gave hours of leeway and the freezer’s full. It’s hard to reach that high from the scooter. The housekeeping aide can do it all if maintenance will come in her three hours, but the office wouldn’t promise. The new little plant went to the plant lady last night.

Once again the witching hour is at hand and a day (yesterday) was lost to this place. The computer mouse has been dancing around like crazy, and the nose has been dripping like a broken faucet. That, of course, is not all. The place is momentarily livable as the housekeeping aide was dutifully here. A friend came by, and a few items running low should be re-stocked by tomorrow evening. Given the nose, the aide, etc., it took all day (from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) to get to checking on the new Social Security system. Again the evening meal has not yet happened. Midnight though it be, midnight snack it is not. It’s supper.

April 5, 2013.

At the moment it’s hard to remember what happened to April 4. The friend that stops by twice a week to see if everything is all right came four times this week, and coffee was spilled on the computer keyboard. There had to be four trips because an offer on Wednesday to buy a couple of things that were running low had to be carried out yesterday. One thing was left where it was stashed until things could be brought over yesterday evening. The last item was brought today. (The coffee was spilled on the computer yesterday.) A fleeting thought to do these notes was forgotten; it took hours to remember what was to be done.

April 7, 2013.

Suddenly it’s Sunday, partly because wake-up time yesterday was noontime. All in the animal kingdom have to get some sleep sometime. (Naturally not much was done.) Presently it is just very late afternoon rather than midnight. The computer was nearly shot down this morning with an attempt to fix things to see the cemetery map. It wasn’t seen. Then a plan to do some arranging with the government debit card hit a sizable snag when the account password didn’t take. That was changed. It’s a scooter re-charge day with immobility for hours. And, sadly, the friend so helpful may go to the hospital with something serious.

April 8, 2013.

Come about 10:00 a.m. today it was remembered that no plants were watered yesterday. The homemaker aide did do so on Wednesday, but by Sunday they should get a little more. Evening meal also got lost in the scooter re-charging for which there was compensation in the 3:30 (or so) a.m. awakening. The debit card getting social security payments is heavily on the mind; funds transfer to the checking account is not set up. More important, the codes for the debit card need to be put somewhere safe, etc. It wasn’t a good morning, but the plants did get some water. And, if this is to be done, best get to it (someone might read it).

The new government payment system is only “sort of” set up. It’s possible to get money out of the account (that was tried already); but, doing anything online, like checking balances or whatever has hit a snag. The “create an account business” didn’t work when tried today. This is not good as it’s supposed to be possible to deposit funds into one’s bank account via the workings. Taking cash out of an ATM and carrying it physically to the bank is not what was in mind. The housekeeping assistant due tomorrow, the nurse-doctor is due Thursday; and, the physical condition seemingly continues to deteriorate….

March 27, 2013.

The witching hour approaches. The scooter has been re-charged. A computer malfunctioning item has been fixed by the powers that be. The hands are a mess. The nose is about to drip. Eighteen dollars is likely gone because the aide bought the wrong thing. If she does take it back next week, which is a loss of valuable time, it seems unlikely that they will give her the money back as she didn’t get a receipt. She’s good, but not for errands. It’s not the first time she didn’t get a receipt. The nurse-doctor is coming tomorrow morning too early, if things go as scheduled. The light went out in the kitchen again.

March 28, 2013.

For a change, today was a very good day. A day with little scooter worry is a good start, but a few other things went well, too. The nurse-doctor listened and promised more attention to concerns than the previous people did. Apparent sensible prescriptions coming tomorrow. The light bulb in the kitchen was replaced, and since there was a need to go to the office to get that done, the opportunity was also used to check on the moving to another apartment (the office was politely nagged!). Setting up an online account service in the government’s new money system was finally achieved. It took a good while.

March 29, 2013.

It’s “Good Friday” 2013. Many people (not as many as once, and not all by any means) have special events in mind. The events aren’t very cheerful. To an extent the people aren’t too cheerful, either. This is not a favorite time of the year be it with a promise of lovely weather in the air or not. Life for many is miserable as it is; they don’t need depressing celebrations regardless of how hopeful the intent is. Medicine came today. Food truck came today; it did not have something picked to try. There is some more to do with the government’s electronic payments.

March 30, 2013.

Once again the witching hour approaches. Once again it is a time of a Christian High Holiday. Like a calendar new year, two big ones have their event in the middle of the night. All is still. Some are preparing for early celebrations. And, no doubt some are out earning a living, while some have no interest in either the Christians or their events. But, on Monday the attitude — that’s “attitude” — will be dealing with spring firmly in place even if it is snowing outside. There was one last March business, and that was done at about 7:15 a.m. It should have been done at about 9:00 p.m. last night, but it wasn’t. Small greetings were sent.

March 31, 2013.

And, now it’s Easter Sunday, and at the moment it’s a matter of a wait for a promised Easter dinner. A new pill was started this morning. Now there are three to take, but two of them are only vitamins. The new third one is prescription. There were only three prescription pills ordered, three pills sent in the bottle. Each one is to cover about half of a week. It’s fifty degrees per the temperature gadget and cloudy outside — not a very pretty day for people celebrating either the holy day or spring. And, it’s only a hope the man bringing the dinner can get himself into the building. Happy Easter!

April 1, 2013.

For all practical purposes there has been no sleep for almost twenty-four hours…. The scooter needed more re-charge again. It could be the batteries need replacing again. Regardless, it was set up last night and upon waking up after midnight and getting up to do ordinary things, another nasty accident happened (it’s hard to judged things when sleepy). That took until about 3:00 a..m. to clean up. Being wide awake then, the computer was checked. There was about an hour’s rest between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and this evening after 6:00 p.m. The Diary’s Blog has to be done tomorrow.